Tekkon Kinkreet / Black & White (Japanese Edition) (Paperback)

by Taiyo Matsumoto (Author), Andrew McKeon (Compiler), Elisabeth Kawasaki (Editor), Annette Roman (Editor), Jason Thompson (Editor), Lillian Olsen (Translator), Amy Martin (Designer)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Orphaned on the mean streets of Treasure Town, lost boys Black and White must mug, steal and fight to survive. Around them moves a world of corruption and loneliness, small-time crooks and neurotic police officers, and a band of sadistic yakuza who have plans for their once-fair city. Can they rise above their environment? Surreal manga influenced by European comics.

Tekkonkinkreet is a play on Japanese words meaning "a concrete structure with an iron frame," and it suggests the opposing images of concrete cities against the strength of imagination.

About the Author
Taiyo Matsumoto is the cult favorite artist of Black & White and NO. 5, both published by VIZ Media. With line work that mirrors his story lines in a combination of smooth and rough styles his work makes for a truly unique look and feel in manga.

Product Details

• Paperback: 624 pages
• Publisher: VIZ Media, LLC (September 25, 2007)
• Language: English, Japanese
• ISBN-10: 1421518678
• ISBN-13: 978-1421518671
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 7.2 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #270,190 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #47 in	Books > Comics & Graphic Novels > Manga > Japanese-Language
  #87 in	Books > Literature & Fiction > Foreign Language Fiction > Japanese

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A masterpiece., September 22, 2007

By	Luca Vitale - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This might be the best graphic novel ever written, and I don`t say that lightly. It`s a shame that it doesn`t have a wide circulation in Europe and US. It`s pretty much impossible to compare to anything else, Tekkon Kinkreet it`s the most lyrical and at at the same time the most anti-conformist comic you`ll ever read. Think Miyazaki, Tank Girl and Takeshi Kitano all wrapped up in one story that is so good it hurts. Just get it, if you like indie comics chances are this is your new favorite one.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simple Story, Amazing Art Work!, September 9, 2007

By	W. Xia (Gainesville, FLorida USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

What a great book! The art work is like nothing I've seen...The story is simple but heart felt, and the characters easy to identify with. While I can tell that the translation took a lot away from the original ( I can read some Kanji characters, and I could see some of the left over original text was more incorporated into the artwork), it still kept to the mood and the atmosphere pretty well.... I read this book in 4 hours because it was so hard to put down.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous, absorbing graphic narrative, March 8, 2008

By	C. Donner "zinegrrl" (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

During a trip to Japan recently I came across the film version of this book, which had just won many awards. When I learned it was based on a graphic novel, I scoured the bookstands here in the US for it to no avail. Luckily Amazon had it (along with the English-subtitled movie). Tekkon Kinkreet is a richly engaging graphic narrative, its visual language referencing French comics but with the horizontal, angled paneling of more traditional Japanese Manga. Though it's about two scrappy kids, this is most definitely NOT a comic book for children: it's full of violence and references to the seedy underworld of the city (gangsters, strip clubs, etc.). Though those things would usually turn me off, I found this to be a completely absorbing narrative. Beyond the violence it elegantly explores the issues of gentrification, friendship, identity, and change. The film's great too, but you should definitely read the book first. Totally different visual styles going on. Great stuff. Check it out.